EP0466620A1 - Process and apparatus for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibres for a device having a membrane consisting of hollow fibres - Google Patents

Process and apparatus for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibres for a device having a membrane consisting of hollow fibres Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0466620A1
EP0466620A1 EP91420244A EP91420244A EP0466620A1 EP 0466620 A1 EP0466620 A1 EP 0466620A1 EP 91420244 A EP91420244 A EP 91420244A EP 91420244 A EP91420244 A EP 91420244A EP 0466620 A1 EP0466620 A1 EP 0466620A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheath
drying
bundle
air
fibers
Prior art date
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Granted
Application number
EP91420244A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0466620B1 (en
Inventor
Julien Porta
Christian Clermont
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Gambro Industries SAS
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Hospal Industrie SAS
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Priority to AT91420244T priority Critical patent/ATE102337T1/en
Publication of EP0466620A1 publication Critical patent/EP0466620A1/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B15/00—Machines or apparatus for drying objects with progressive movement; Machines or apparatus with progressive movement for drying batches of material in compact form
    • F26B15/02—Machines or apparatus for drying objects with progressive movement; Machines or apparatus with progressive movement for drying batches of material in compact form with movement in the whole or part of a circle
    • F26B15/08—Machines or apparatus for drying objects with progressive movement; Machines or apparatus with progressive movement for drying batches of material in compact form with movement in the whole or part of a circle in a vertical plane
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D63/00—Apparatus in general for separation processes using semi-permeable membranes
    • B01D63/02—Hollow fibre modules
    • B01D63/021—Manufacturing thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D63/00—Apparatus in general for separation processes using semi-permeable membranes
    • B01D63/02—Hollow fibre modules
    • B01D63/021—Manufacturing thereof
    • B01D63/0233—Manufacturing thereof forming the bundle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D67/00—Processes specially adapted for manufacturing semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus
    • B01D67/0081—After-treatment of organic or inorganic membranes
    • B01D67/0095—Drying
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/006—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects the gas supply or exhaust being effected through hollow spaces or cores in the materials or objects, e.g. tubes, pipes, bottles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D2313/00—Details relating to membrane modules or apparatus
    • B01D2313/26—Specific gas distributors or gas intakes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and a device for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers for any membrane device the membrane of which consists of a bundle of hollow fibers which must be kept moist and be assembled together by gluing. , over part of their length.
  • membrane devices are used in various fields, to which they are specifically adapted in particular by the choice of the chemical nature of their membrane.
  • membrane devices belong for example certain types of water filters, reverse osmosis devices, used in particular for the desalination of saline water, and hemodialyzers, used for purifying the blood of renal insufficiency. , by dialysis and / or filtration.
  • a hollow fiber hemodialyzer comprises a bundle of hollow fibers disposed in a tubular housing at both ends of which it is secured by bonding by means of a joint in which the fibers are embedded over part of their length, the end of the fibers being left open.
  • the seals are placed so as to delimit a sealed chamber inside the housing.
  • At each end of the housing is fixed an endpiece through which the blood enters, respectively leaves, which therefore circulates inside the fibers, while the housing comprises two lateral conduits opening into the sealed chamber, through which the dialysis liquid enters and exits respectively, which therefore circulates outside the fibers.
  • hemodialyzers of this type presents a major technological difficulty which lies in the manufacture of the aforementioned seals (so-called "potting" operation) when the fibers used should be kept moist for whatever reason.
  • potting a material, such as the copolymer of acrylonitrile and sodium methallyl sulfonate known under the brand name AN 69, which is made microporous by an appropriate process and retains its structural characteristics only if 'it is kept wet.
  • the fibers are made of a material, such as regenerated cellulose known under the brand CUPROPHAN, which is moistened in order to facilitate sterilization with ethylene oxide to which the hemodialyzer will be subjected. the outcome of its manufacture.
  • French patent 72 29200 proposes a process for manufacturing a high pressure seal around a bundle of hollow fibers for a reverse osmosis device by which, to allow adhesion to the fibers of the adhesive. used to form the joint, the part of the fibers concerned is dried before pouring the glue while the part of the fibers which will play an active role in the apparatus is kept wet.
  • the fibers are coated with an elastomeric material near one end of the bundle of fibers to create a barrier between the end of the fibers, which will be taken in the joint, and the active part of the fibers; the active part of the fibers is immersed in an aqueous gelatin solution which, by virtue of the elastomer barrier, cannot go back up soaking the ends of the fibers by capillarity; the solution is cooled to solidify the gelatin; the end of the fibers is dried around which an adhesive is then poured to form the joint; finally, the gelatin surrounding the active part of fibers is removed, which made it possible to keep this part of fibers moist during the drying of the end of the bundle.
  • the aim of the present invention is a method for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers which is suitable for industrial production, which is non-polluting for the fibers and which is suitable for preparing a bundle of fibers for devices of various structures. .
  • a method of drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers for an apparatus with a membrane consisting of hollow fibers characterized in that it consists in placing the bundle in a duct having at least one axial opening and at least one lateral opening at each of its ends and simultaneously pulsating air through the axial openings, the air flows at the inlet of the duct as well as the size of the openings being chosen so that the air entering each end of the duct comes out completely through the corresponding lateral opening.
  • a casing of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the bundle of hollow fibers is used as the sheath.
  • the air flows at the inlet of the sheath are substantially equal, the axial openings of the sheath having substantially the same dimensions, as well as the lateral openings.
  • the forced air is heated. Compared to air at room temperature with the same absolute humidity (which, in any case, we try to keep as low as possible), hot air has the advantage of causing faster drying .
  • the invention also relates to a device for implementing this method.
  • This device comprises at least one drying member comprising two connecting elements for connecting respectively to a source of forced air the ends of a sheath intended to contain the bundle, this sheath comprising, at each of its ends, at least one opening axial through which air enters the sheath and at least one lateral opening through which air leaves the sheath, this sheath advantageously being constituted by a housing of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the beam of hollow fibers.
  • the device advantageously comprises air heating means.
  • the axial openings of the sheath have substantially the same dimensions, as well as the lateral openings, and the connection elements are connected to the same source of hot pulsed air by pipes having substantially the same length. and same diameter.
  • the drying device comprises a plurality of drying members connected to a single source of pulsed hot air and each drying member comprises leakage means calibrated so that the air flows escaping respectively from a vacuum drying member and a drying member placed on a sheath containing a bundle of fibers is substantially equal.
  • This arrangement has the advantage that the series drying of hollow fiber bundles is homogeneous from one bundle to another, whether the drying device is fully or partially in charge.
  • the drying device shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 comprises a drying member for a bundle 1 of hollow fibers arranged in a tubular sheath 2 open at its ends (axial openings 3) and provided with at least one lateral opening 4 (two on figure) located near each of its ends.
  • the drying member comprises two connection elements 5 arranged opposite one another on the same axis to connect the ends of the sheath 2 respectively to two pipes 6 connected to a source of hot air pulsed 7.
  • Each connecting element 5 has the form of a capsule having an internal shoulder provided with a seal 8 to fit tightly on one end of the sheath 1 while leaving uncovered the side openings 4, the pipe 6 opening into the connection element 5 behind the plane of the joint 8 relative to the opening of the connection element.
  • the source of hot pulsed air 7 conventionally comprises heating means 9, ventilation means 10 as well as a regulation system (not shown) to maintain constant and equal to predetermined values, the flow rate and the temperature of the forced air in the pipes 6. If the ambient air which is sucked in by the ventilation means 10 has a non-negligible absolute humidity, it is advantageously subjected to a desiccation treatment upstream of the drying device so that the air passing on the end of the fibers has as low an absolute humidity as possible.
  • the air flow rates are adjusted at the inlet of the connection elements 5 and the diameters of the axial 3 and lateral 4 openings of the sheath 2 are chosen so that no air circulation is established inside the sheath 2 when the device functions, that is to say so that the air which penetrates through the axial opening 3 of each end of the sheath 2 comes out completely, after having passed between the ends of the fibers, through the closest side openings 4 . In other words, maintaining the pressure balance at the ends of the sheath 2.
  • this drying device The implementation and operation of this drying device are as follows: the bundle of fibers 1 to be dried is introduced into the sheath 2, then the sheath is placed in the drying member by fitting the connecting elements 5 onto the ends of the sheath and maintaining them applied, by any known compression means, with sufficient force so that the seal is created at the joints 8.
  • the source of hot pulsed air 7 having been put into operation, from the hot air enters through the axial openings 3 of the sheath 2, flows between the fibers, at their ends, and escapes through the side openings 4 without flowing from one end to the other of the sheath.
  • the sheath 2 is removed from the drying member and the bundle is extracted therefrom for further processing.
  • the method and the drying device which have just been described are used for bundles of hollow fibers intended to equip membrane devices comprising a housing having the characteristics of the sheath 2 (that is, that is to say provided with axial and lateral openings at their ends), as is the case of the hemodialyzers described above, these boxes are used in place of the sheaths 2 in the drying device, which makes it possible to saving specific sheaths and potting the bundles directly after drying, without intermediate manipulation.
  • FIG. 2 shows a drying device for a plurality of bundles of hollow fibers.
  • This device comprises a carousel constituted by a drum 11 with a horizontal axis mounted on a frame 12 so as to be able to rotate around its axis under the action of a step-by-step drive member (not shown).
  • a step-by-step drive member not shown.
  • At the periphery of the drum 11, are arranged, at regular intervals, a plurality of drying members with an axis parallel to the axis of the drum, the connecting elements 5 of which are connected by pipes 13 of equal length and section. to a central distributor 14, itself connected by a pipe 15 to a source of hot pulsed hot air 7.
  • This carousel is further equipped with an automatic loading unit and an unloading unit (not shown) for simultaneously loading and unloading respectively a sheath 2 containing a wet bundle 1 and a sheath 2 containing a partially dried bundle 1, the relative arrangement of these loading and unloading units with respect to the periphery of the carousel as well as the speed of rotation of the carousel being chosen so that, between the moment of its introduction and the moment of its withdrawal onto / from the carousel, each bundle 1 has lost, at its ends, the quantity of water making its potting possible.
  • the distance between the connecting elements 5 of each drying member is advantageously adjustable.
  • the beams 1 passing over the carousel are all treated in the same way, that is to say, the temperature of the forced air and the speed of the carousel being kept substantially constant, so that the flows d air to which the ends of each beam are exposed always have the same flow rate, whatever the loading of the carousel, provision is made, at each drying member, for a calibrated leak system such that it escapes from a vacuum drying member the same air flow as a drying member in which is disposed a sheath 2 containing a bundle 1.
  • FIG. 3 shows a drying member provided with such a calibrated leak system and further equipped with means for adjusting the distance of its connecting elements 5.
  • the tubular housing 20 of the hemodialyzer is used as sheath for bundle 1, this housing therefore comprising at each of its ends an axial opening 21 and an opening lateral 22 (dialysate inlet / outlet channel).
  • connection elements 5 of this drying member is fixed to the drum 11 of a carousel of a drying device as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the other connection element 5 is mounted movable in translation in screw -with respect to the fixed connection element 5, by means of a jack 23 itself secured to the drum 11.
  • the jack 23 allows the connection elements 5 to be moved aside and brought together for the installation and removal of boxes 20 of different lengths.
  • the jack is actuated so as to bring the connecting members 5 closer until the seals 8 are slightly crushed between the ends of the housing and the internal shoulder. of the corresponding connection element 5. In this way, the connection between the connecting elements 5 and the housing 20 is sealed.
  • each connecting member 5 is connected to the corresponding pipe 13 by a tube 24 opening freely inside this fitting and having an internal diameter less than or equal to that of a lateral channel 22 of a dialyzer housing: the tubing 24 thus causes, on the forced air circuit, a pressure drop before which the pressure drop generated by the presence of a housing 20 in the drying member is negligible, that is to say that it defines a calibrated leak such that the air which escapes from the vacuum drying member has substantially the same flow rate as the air which escapes from the lateral channels of a housing 20 taken in the drying member .
  • drying members shown in the figures are suitable for drying bundles of substantially straight hollow fibers, it goes without saying that by changing the respective arrangement of their connecting elements, they could be used for drying beams having another configuration, in particular U-shaped beams.
  • the method is also applicable to the drying of the ends of a bundle of fibers folded back on itself, the sheath used then being closed at one end and the drying member comprising only one connecting element.

Abstract

The apparatus comprises at least one drying member comprising two connection elements (5) in order to connect, respectively, to a source of pulsed hot air (7), the ends of a sheath (2) provided for containing a bundle of hollow fibres (1). The sheath (2) comprises, at each of its ends, at least one axial opening (3) via which the hot air penetrates into the sheath, and at least one lateral opening (4) via which the hot air leaves the sheath (2) after having passed over the end of the fibres. The air flow rates on entering the sheath (2) and the size of the openings (3, 4) are chosen in order for the air penetrating each end of the sheath (2) to emerge therefrom entirely via the corresponding lateral opening (4). <??>This apparatus makes it possible to dry, with a view to its subsequent potting, only the ends of a bundle of fibres which must not dry out. <IMAGE>

Description

L'invention concerne un procédé et un dispositif de séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau de fibres creuses pour tout appareil à membrane dont la membrane est constituée d'un faisceau de fibres creuses devant être conservées humides et être assemblées les une aux autres par collage, sur une partie de leur longueur.The invention relates to a method and a device for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers for any membrane device the membrane of which consists of a bundle of hollow fibers which must be kept moist and be assembled together by gluing. , over part of their length.

De tels appareils à membrane sont utilisés dans des domaines variés, auxquels ils sont adaptés spécifiquement en particulier par le choix de la nature chimique de leur membrane. A cette catégorie d'appareils à membrane appartiennent par exemple certains types de filtres à eau, d'appareils d'osmose inverse, utilisés notamment pour le dessalement des eaux salines, et d'hémodialyseurs, utilisés pour l'épuration du sang des insuffisants rénaux, par dialyse et/ou filtration.Such membrane devices are used in various fields, to which they are specifically adapted in particular by the choice of the chemical nature of their membrane. To this category of membrane devices belong for example certain types of water filters, reverse osmosis devices, used in particular for the desalination of saline water, and hemodialyzers, used for purifying the blood of renal insufficiency. , by dialysis and / or filtration.

Dans la suite, pour illustrer le procédé selon l'invention et le dispositif pour sa mise en oeuvre, on prendra l'exemple d'hémodialyseurs, étant entendu que cette exemplification ne saurait être comprise comme restreignant la portée de l'invention au seul domaine médical.In the following, to illustrate the method according to the invention and the device for its implementation, we will take the example of hemodialyzers, it being understood that this exemplification cannot be understood as restricting the scope of the invention to the sole field. medical.

De façon classique, un hémodialyseur à fibres creuses comprend un faisceau de fibres creuses disposé dans un boîtier tubulaire aux deux extrémités duquel il est assujetti par collage au moyen d'un joint dans lequel les fibres sont noyées sur une partie de leur longueur, l'extrémité des fibres étant laissée ouverte. Les joints sont mis en place de façon à délimiter une chambre étanche à l'intérieur du boîtier. A chaque extrémité du boîtier est fixé un embout par lequel se fait l'entrée, respectivement la sortie, du sang, lequel circule donc à l'intérieur des fibres, tandis que le boîtier comprend deux conduits latéraux débouchant dans la chambre étanche, par lesquels se font respectivement l'entrée et la sortie d'un liquide de dialyse, lequel circule donc à l'extérieur des fibres.Conventionally, a hollow fiber hemodialyzer comprises a bundle of hollow fibers disposed in a tubular housing at both ends of which it is secured by bonding by means of a joint in which the fibers are embedded over part of their length, the end of the fibers being left open. The seals are placed so as to delimit a sealed chamber inside the housing. At each end of the housing is fixed an endpiece through which the blood enters, respectively leaves, which therefore circulates inside the fibers, while the housing comprises two lateral conduits opening into the sealed chamber, through which the dialysis liquid enters and exits respectively, which therefore circulates outside the fibers.

La fabrication des hémodialyseurs de ce type présente une difficulté technologique majeure qui réside dans la fabrication des joints précités (opération dite d'"empotage") lorsque les fibres utilisées doivent être conservées humides, quelle qu'en soit la raison. C'est le cas notamment lorsque les libres sont réalisées dans un matériau, tel le copolymère d'acrylonitrile et de méthallyle sulfonate de sodium connu sous la marque AN 69, qui est rendu microporeux par un procédé approprié et ne conserve ses caractéristiques structurelles que s'il est maintenu à l'état humide. C'est aussi le cas lorsque les fibres sont réalisées dans un matériau, telle la cellulose régénérée connue sous la marque CUPROPHAN, que l'on humidifie afin de faciliter la stérilisation à l'oxyde d'éthylène à laquelle l'hémodialyseur sera soumis à l'issue de sa fabrication.The manufacture of hemodialyzers of this type presents a major technological difficulty which lies in the manufacture of the aforementioned seals (so-called "potting" operation) when the fibers used should be kept moist for whatever reason. This is particularly the case when the fibers are produced from a material, such as the copolymer of acrylonitrile and sodium methallyl sulfonate known under the brand name AN 69, which is made microporous by an appropriate process and retains its structural characteristics only if 'it is kept wet. This is also the case when the fibers are made of a material, such as regenerated cellulose known under the brand CUPROPHAN, which is moistened in order to facilitate sterilization with ethylene oxide to which the hemodialyzer will be subjected. the outcome of its manufacture.

La difficulté technologique mentionnée plus haut est due au fait qu'on ne connait pas actuellement de colles capables d'adhérer à des fibres ayant une teneur en eau supérieure à une certaine valeur, laquelle est largement dépassée dans le cas des fibres mentionnées plus haut.The technological difficulty mentioned above is due to the fact that no adhesives are currently known capable of adhering to fibers having a water content greater than a certain value, which is greatly exceeded in the case of the fibers mentioned above.

Pour surmonter cette difficulté, le brevet français 72 29200 propose un procédé de fabrication d'un joint à haute pression autour d'un faisceau de fibres creuses pour un appareil d'osmose inverse par lequel, pour permettre l'adhérence aux fibres de la colle utilisée pour former le joint, on sèche, avant de couler la colle, la partie des fibres concernées tandis que l'on maintient humide la partie des fibres qui jouera un rôle actif dans l'appareil. Selon ce brevet, pour arriver à ce résultat, on enduit les fibres d'un matériau élastomère à proximité d'une extrémité du faisceau de fibres pour créer une barrière entre l'extrémité des fibres, qui sera prise dans le-joint, et la partie active des fibres ; on immerge la partie active des fibres dans une solution aqueuse de gélatine qui, grâce à la barrière d'élastomère, ne peut remonter imbiber par capillarité l'extrémité des fibres ; on refroidit la solution pour solidifier la gélatine ; on sèche l'extrémité des fibres autour desquelles on coule ensuite une colle pour former le joint ; enfin, on enlève la gélatine entourant la partie active de fibres, qui a permis de maintenir cette partie de fibres humide pendant le séchage de l'extrémité du faisceau.To overcome this difficulty, French patent 72 29200 proposes a process for manufacturing a high pressure seal around a bundle of hollow fibers for a reverse osmosis device by which, to allow adhesion to the fibers of the adhesive. used to form the joint, the part of the fibers concerned is dried before pouring the glue while the part of the fibers which will play an active role in the apparatus is kept wet. According to this patent, to achieve this result, the fibers are coated with an elastomeric material near one end of the bundle of fibers to create a barrier between the end of the fibers, which will be taken in the joint, and the active part of the fibers; the active part of the fibers is immersed in an aqueous gelatin solution which, by virtue of the elastomer barrier, cannot go back up soaking the ends of the fibers by capillarity; the solution is cooled to solidify the gelatin; the end of the fibers is dried around which an adhesive is then poured to form the joint; finally, the gelatin surrounding the active part of fibers is removed, which made it possible to keep this part of fibers moist during the drying of the end of the bundle.

Ce procédé présente plusieurs inconvénients : il est lourd à mettre en oeuvre ; il est mal adapté à la fabrication des appareils à membrane ayant un faisceau de fibres sensiblement rectiligne, comme les hémodialyseurs décrits plus haut ; il nécessite de mettre au contact des fibres un certain nombre de substances qui constituent des facteurs potentiels de pollution, et sont à éviter absolument dans les appareils à membrane destinés à un usage médical.This process has several drawbacks: it is cumbersome to implement; it is ill-suited to the manufacture of membrane devices having a substantially straight fiber bundle, such as the hemodialyzers described above; it requires putting in contact with fibers a certain number of substances which constitute potential pollution factors, and are to be avoided absolutely in membrane devices intended for medical use.

La présente invention a pour but un procédé de séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau de fibres creuses qui soit adapté à une production industrielle, qui soit non polluant pour les fibres et qui convienne à la préparation de faisceau de fibres pour des appareils de structures diverses.The aim of the present invention is a method for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers which is suitable for industrial production, which is non-polluting for the fibers and which is suitable for preparing a bundle of fibers for devices of various structures. .

Pour atteindre ce but, on prévoit, conformément à l'invention, un procédé de séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau de fibres creuses pour un appareil à membrane constituée de fibres creuses, caractérisé en ce qu'il consiste à placer le faisceau dans une gaine présentant au moins une ouverture axiale et au moins une ouverture latérale à chacune de ses extrémités et à pulser de l'air simultanément par les ouvertures axiales, les débits d'air à l'entrée de la gaine ainsi que la dimension des ouvertures étant choisis pour que l'air pénétrant à chaque entrémité de la gaine en ressorte intégralement par l'ouverture latérale correspondante. Avantageusement, on utilise, comme gaine, un boîtier de l'appareil à membrane destiné à contenir le faisceau de fibres creuses.To achieve this object, provision is made, in accordance with the invention, for a method of drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers for an apparatus with a membrane consisting of hollow fibers, characterized in that it consists in placing the bundle in a duct having at least one axial opening and at least one lateral opening at each of its ends and simultaneously pulsating air through the axial openings, the air flows at the inlet of the duct as well as the size of the openings being chosen so that the air entering each end of the duct comes out completely through the corresponding lateral opening. Advantageously, a casing of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the bundle of hollow fibers is used as the sheath.

Selon une caractéristique de l'invention, les débits d'air à l'entrée de la gaine sont sensiblement égaux, les ouvertures axiales de la gaine ayant sensiblement les mêmes dimensions, de même que les ouvertures latérales.According to a characteristic of the invention, the air flows at the inlet of the sheath are substantially equal, the axial openings of the sheath having substantially the same dimensions, as well as the lateral openings.

Selon une autre caractéristique de l'invention, l'air pulsé est chauffé. Par rapport à de l'air à température ambiante ayant la même humidité absolue (que,'dans tous les cas, on s'efforce de maintenir aussi faible que possible), l'air chaud présente l'avantage de provoquer un séchage plus rapide.According to another characteristic of the invention, the forced air is heated. Compared to air at room temperature with the same absolute humidity (which, in any case, we try to keep as low as possible), hot air has the advantage of causing faster drying .

L'invention a également pour objet un dispositif pour la mise en oeuvre de ce procédé. Ce dispositif comporte au moins un organe de séchage comprenant deux éléments de raccord pour relier respectivement à une source d'air pulsé les extrémités d'une gaine prévue pour contenir le faisceau, cette gaine comprenant, à chacune de ses extrémités, au moins une ouverture axiale par laquelle l'air pénètre dans la gaine et au moins une ouverture latérale par laquelle l'air sort de la gaine, cette gaine étant avantageusement constituée par un boîtier de l'appareil à membrane destiné à contenir le faisceau de fibres creuses. Le dispositif comprend avantageusement des moyens de chauffage de l'air.The invention also relates to a device for implementing this method. This device comprises at least one drying member comprising two connecting elements for connecting respectively to a source of forced air the ends of a sheath intended to contain the bundle, this sheath comprising, at each of its ends, at least one opening axial through which air enters the sheath and at least one lateral opening through which air leaves the sheath, this sheath advantageously being constituted by a housing of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the beam of hollow fibers. The device advantageously comprises air heating means.

Selon une caractéristique de l'invention, les ouvertures axiales de la gaine ont sensiblement les mêmes dimensions, de même que les ouvertures latérales, et les éléments de raccord sont reliés à une même source d'air chaud pulsé par des canalisations ayant sensiblement même longueur et même diamètre.According to a characteristic of the invention, the axial openings of the sheath have substantially the same dimensions, as well as the lateral openings, and the connection elements are connected to the same source of hot pulsed air by pipes having substantially the same length. and same diameter.

Selon une autre caractéristique de l'invention, le dispositif de séchage comporte une pluralité d'organes de séchage reliés à une source d'air chaud pulsé unique et chaque organe de séchage comprend des moyens de fuite calibrés pour que les débits de l'air s'échappant respectivement d'un organe de séchage à vide et d'un organe de séchage mis en place sur une gaine contenant un faisceau de fibres soit sensiblement égaux. Cette disposition présente l'intérêt que le séchage en série de faisceaux de fibres creuses est homogène d'un faisceau à l'autre, que le dispositif de séchage soit totalement ou partiellement en charge.According to another characteristic of the invention, the drying device comprises a plurality of drying members connected to a single source of pulsed hot air and each drying member comprises leakage means calibrated so that the air flows escaping respectively from a vacuum drying member and a drying member placed on a sheath containing a bundle of fibers is substantially equal. This arrangement has the advantage that the series drying of hollow fiber bundles is homogeneous from one bundle to another, whether the drying device is fully or partially in charge.

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention apparaîtront à la lecture de la description qui suit, faite en relation aux dessins annexés sur lesquels:

  • La figure 1 est une vue schématique, partiellement en coupe, du dispositif de séchage selon l'invention;
  • La figure 2 est une vue en perspective schématique d'un dispositif de séchage pour une pluralité de faisceaux selon l'invention ; et
  • La figure 3 est une vue en coupe axiale partielle d'un mode de réalisation d'un organe de séchage pour le dispositif selon l'invention.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given in relation to the appended drawings in which:
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view, partially in section, of the drying device according to the invention;
  • Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a drying device for a plurality of bundles according to the invention; and
  • Figure 3 is a partial axial sectional view of an embodiment of a drying member for the device according to the invention.

Le dispositif de séchage représenté schématiquement sur la figure 1 comprend un organe de séchage pour un faisceau 1 de fibres creuses disposé dans une gaine tubulaire 2 ouverte à ses extrémités (ouvertures axiales 3) et munie d'au moins une ouverture latérale 4 (deux sur la figure) située à proximité de chacune de ses extrémités. L'organe de séchage comporte deux éléments de raccord 5 disposés en vis-à-vis l'un de l'autre sur un même axe pour raccorder respectivement les extrémités de la gaine 2 à deux canalisations 6 reliées à une source d'air chaud pulsé 7. Chaque élément de raccord 5 a la forme d'une capsule présentant un épaulement intérieur muni d'un joint 8 pour s'emboîter de façon étanche sur une extrémité de la gaine 1 tout en laissant découvertes les ouvertures latérales 4, la canalisation 6 débouchant dans l'élément de raccord 5 en arrière du plan du joint 8 par rapport à l'ouverture de l'élément de raccord. La source d'air chaud pulsé 7 comprend classiquement des moyens de chauffage 9, des moyens de ventilation 10 ainsi qu'un système de régulation (non représenté) pour maintenir constants et égaux à des valeurs prédéterminées, le débit et la température de l'air pulsé dans les canalisations 6. Si l'air ambiant qui est aspiré par les moyens de ventilation 10 a une humidité absolue non négligeable, il est avantageusement soumis à un traitement de dessication en amont du dispositif de séchage de façon que l'air passant sur l'extrémité des fibres ait une humidité absolue aussi faible que possible.The drying device shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 comprises a drying member for a bundle 1 of hollow fibers arranged in a tubular sheath 2 open at its ends (axial openings 3) and provided with at least one lateral opening 4 (two on figure) located near each of its ends. The drying member comprises two connection elements 5 arranged opposite one another on the same axis to connect the ends of the sheath 2 respectively to two pipes 6 connected to a source of hot air pulsed 7. Each connecting element 5 has the form of a capsule having an internal shoulder provided with a seal 8 to fit tightly on one end of the sheath 1 while leaving uncovered the side openings 4, the pipe 6 opening into the connection element 5 behind the plane of the joint 8 relative to the opening of the connection element. The source of hot pulsed air 7 conventionally comprises heating means 9, ventilation means 10 as well as a regulation system (not shown) to maintain constant and equal to predetermined values, the flow rate and the temperature of the forced air in the pipes 6. If the ambient air which is sucked in by the ventilation means 10 has a non-negligible absolute humidity, it is advantageously subjected to a desiccation treatment upstream of the drying device so that the air passing on the end of the fibers has as low an absolute humidity as possible.

Pour que le but de l'invention soit atteint grâce à ce dispositif, c'est-à-dire pour que ce dispositif soit apte à sécher les extrémités du faisceau 1 de fibres humides et seulement ses extrémités, on règle les débits d'air à l'entrée des éléments de raccord 5 et on choisit les diamètres des ouvertures axiales 3 et latérales 4 de la gaine 2 de façon qu'il ne s'établisse aucune circulation d'air à l'intérieur de la gaine 2 lorsque le dispositif fontionne, c'est-à-dire de façon que l'air qui pénètre par l'ouverture axiale 3 de chaque extrémité de la gaine 2 ressorte intégralement, après être passé entre les extrémités des fibres, par les ouvertures latérales 4 les plus proches. En d'autres termes, on maintient l'équilibre des pressions aux extrémités de la gaine 2. Il est facile d'obtenir ce résultat en prévoyant un organe de séchage ayant des éléments de raccord 5 identiques reliés respectivement par des canalisations 6 de même longueur et de même section à une source d'air chaud pulsé 7 unique, la gaine 2 utilisée pour contenir le faisceau de fibres 1 ayant par ailleurs des extrémités symétriques.In order for the object of the invention to be achieved with this device, that is to say for this device to be able to dry the ends of the bundle 1 of wet fibers and only its ends, the air flow rates are adjusted at the inlet of the connection elements 5 and the diameters of the axial 3 and lateral 4 openings of the sheath 2 are chosen so that no air circulation is established inside the sheath 2 when the device functions, that is to say so that the air which penetrates through the axial opening 3 of each end of the sheath 2 comes out completely, after having passed between the ends of the fibers, through the closest side openings 4 . In other words, maintaining the pressure balance at the ends of the sheath 2. It is easy to obtain this result by providing a drying member having identical connecting elements 5 connected respectively by pipes 6 of the same length. and of the same section to a single pulsed hot air source 7, the sheath 2 used to contain the bundle of fibers 1 having moreover symmetrical ends.

La mise en oeuvre et le fonctionnement de ce dispositif de séchage sont les suivants : on introduit le faisceau de fibres 1 à sécher dans la gaine 2, puis on place la gaine dans l'organe de séchage en emmanchant les éléments de raccord 5 sur les extrémités de la gaine et en les maintenant appliqués, par tout moyen de contention connu, avec une force suffisante pour que l'étanchéité soit créée au niveau des joints 8. La source d'air chaud pulsé 7 ayant été mise en fonctionnement, de l'air chaud pénètre par les ouvertures axiales 3 de la gaine 2, s'écoule entre les fibres, à leurs extrémités, et s'échappe par les ouvertures latérales 4 sans circuler d'une extrémité à l'autre de la gaine. Lorsque le temps de séchage nécessaire à l'abaissement souhaité du degré hygrométrique des extrémités du faisceau de fibres 1 s'est écoulé, la gaine 2 est retirée de l'organe de séchage et le faisceau en est extrait pour traitement ultérieur.The implementation and operation of this drying device are as follows: the bundle of fibers 1 to be dried is introduced into the sheath 2, then the sheath is placed in the drying member by fitting the connecting elements 5 onto the ends of the sheath and maintaining them applied, by any known compression means, with sufficient force so that the seal is created at the joints 8. The source of hot pulsed air 7 having been put into operation, from the hot air enters through the axial openings 3 of the sheath 2, flows between the fibers, at their ends, and escapes through the side openings 4 without flowing from one end to the other of the sheath. When the drying time necessary for the desired lowering of the hygrometric degree of the ends of the fiber bundle 1 has elapsed, the sheath 2 is removed from the drying member and the bundle is extracted therefrom for further processing.

A titre d'exemple, pour sécher les extrémités d'un faisceau de 8500 fibres en AN 69 contenant environ vingt pour cent d'eau, à un niveau permettant l'empotage de ce faisceau au moyen des colles connues actuellement, on les soumet, pendant environ vingt minutes, à un flux d'air ayant une température d'environ quarante degrés Celcius et un débit d'environ dix mètres cubes/heure.For example, to dry the ends of a bundle of 8,500 fibers in AN 69 containing about twenty percent of water, at a level allowing the potting of this bundle by means of the adhesives currently known, they are subjected, for about twenty minutes, at an air flow having a temperature of about forty degrees Celcius and a flow rate of about ten cubic meters / hour.

De façon avantageuse, lorsque le procédé et le dispositif de séchage qui viennent d'être décrits sont mis en oeuvre pour des faisceaux de fibres creuses destinés à équiper des appareils à membrane comprenant un boîtier ayant les caractéristiques de la gaine 2 (c'est-à-dire muni d'ouvertures axiales et latérales à leurs extrémités), comme c'est le cas des hémodialyseurs décrits plus haut, on utilise ces boîtiers à la place des gaines 2 dans le dispositif de séchage, ce qui permet de faire l'économie de gaines spécifiques et d'empoter les faisceaux directement après leur séchage, sans manipulation intermédiaire.Advantageously, when the method and the drying device which have just been described are used for bundles of hollow fibers intended to equip membrane devices comprising a housing having the characteristics of the sheath 2 (that is, that is to say provided with axial and lateral openings at their ends), as is the case of the hemodialyzers described above, these boxes are used in place of the sheaths 2 in the drying device, which makes it possible to saving specific sheaths and potting the bundles directly after drying, without intermediate manipulation.

La figure 2 représente un dispositif de séchage pour une pluralité de faisceaux de fibres creuses. Ce dispositif comprend un carrousel constitué par un tambour 11 d'axe horizontal monté sur un bâti 12 de façon à pouvoir tourner autour de son axe sous l'action d'un organe d'entraînement pas-à-pas (non représenté). A la périphérie du tambour 11, sont disposés, à intervalles réguliers, une pluralité d'organes de séchage d'axe parallèle à l'axe du tambour, dont les éléments de raccord 5 sont reliés par des canalisations 13 de longueurs et de sections égales à un distributeur central 14, lui-même relié par une canalisation 15 à une source d'air chaud pulsé 7 unique.Figure 2 shows a drying device for a plurality of bundles of hollow fibers. This device comprises a carousel constituted by a drum 11 with a horizontal axis mounted on a frame 12 so as to be able to rotate around its axis under the action of a step-by-step drive member (not shown). At the periphery of the drum 11, are arranged, at regular intervals, a plurality of drying members with an axis parallel to the axis of the drum, the connecting elements 5 of which are connected by pipes 13 of equal length and section. to a central distributor 14, itself connected by a pipe 15 to a source of hot pulsed hot air 7.

Ce carrousel est équipé en outre d'une unité de chargement et d'une unité de déchargement automatiques (non représentées) pour charger et décharger simultanément respectivement une gaine 2 contenant un faisceau 1 humide et une gaine 2 contenant un faisceau 1 partiellement séché, la disposition relative de ces unités de chargement et de déchargement par rapport à la périphérie du carrousel ainsi que la vitesse de rotation du carrousel étant choisies pour que, entre le moment de son introduction et le moment de son retrai sur/du carrousel, chaque faisceau 1 ait perdu, au niveau de ses extrémités, la quantité d'eau rendant possible son empotage.This carousel is further equipped with an automatic loading unit and an unloading unit (not shown) for simultaneously loading and unloading respectively a sheath 2 containing a wet bundle 1 and a sheath 2 containing a partially dried bundle 1, the relative arrangement of these loading and unloading units with respect to the periphery of the carousel as well as the speed of rotation of the carousel being chosen so that, between the moment of its introduction and the moment of its withdrawal onto / from the carousel, each bundle 1 has lost, at its ends, the quantity of water making its potting possible.

Pour que ce dispositif puisse servir au séchage de faisceaux 1 de longueurs différentes, la distance entre les élément de raccord 5 de chaque organe de séchage est avantageusement réglable. En outre, pour que les faisceaux 1 passant sur le carrousel soient tous traités de la même façon, c'est-à-dire, la température de l'air pulsé et la vitesse du carrousel étant maintenues sensiblement constantes, pour que les flux d'air auxquels sont exposés les extrémités de chaque faisceau aient toujours le même débit, quel que soit le chargement du carrousel, on prévoit, au niveau de chaque organe de séchage, un système de fuite calibrée tel qu'il s'échappe d'un organe de séchage à vide le même débit d'air que d'un organe de séchage dans lequel est disposée une gaine 2 contenant un faisceau 1.So that this device can be used for drying bundles 1 of different lengths, the distance between the connecting elements 5 of each drying member is advantageously adjustable. In addition, so that the beams 1 passing over the carousel are all treated in the same way, that is to say, the temperature of the forced air and the speed of the carousel being kept substantially constant, so that the flows d air to which the ends of each beam are exposed always have the same flow rate, whatever the loading of the carousel, provision is made, at each drying member, for a calibrated leak system such that it escapes from a vacuum drying member the same air flow as a drying member in which is disposed a sheath 2 containing a bundle 1.

On a représenté sur la figures 3 un organe de séchage muni d'un tel système de fuite calibrée et équipé en outre de moyens de réglage de la distance de ses éléments de raccord 5. Dans ce mode de réalisation, qui est destinée au séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau de fibres 1 pour un hémodialyseur du type mentionné plus haut, on utilise le boîtier tubulaire 20 de l'hémodialyseur comme gaine pour le faisceau 1, ce boîtier comprenant donc à chacune de ses extrémités une ouverture axiale 21 et une ouverture latérale 22 (canal d'entrée/sortie de dialysat).FIG. 3 shows a drying member provided with such a calibrated leak system and further equipped with means for adjusting the distance of its connecting elements 5. In this embodiment, which is intended for drying the ends of a bundle of fibers 1 for a hemodialyzer of the type mentioned above, the tubular housing 20 of the hemodialyzer is used as sheath for bundle 1, this housing therefore comprising at each of its ends an axial opening 21 and an opening lateral 22 (dialysate inlet / outlet channel).

L'un des éléments de raccord 5 de cet organe de séchage est fixé au tambour 11 d'un carrousel d'un dispositif de séchage tel que représenté sur la figure 2. L'autre élément de raccord 5 est monté mobile en translation en vis-à-vis de l'élément de raccord 5 fixe, au moyen d'un vérin 23 assujetti lui-même au tambour 11. Le vérin 23 permet d'écarter et de rapprocher les éléments de raccord 5 pour la mise en place et le retrait de boîtiers 20 de différentes longueurs. Lors de la mise en place du boîtier 20 dans l'organe de séchage, le vérin est actionné de façon à rapprocher les organes de raccord 5 jusqu'à ce que les joints 8 soient légèrement écrasés entre les extrémités du boîtier et l'épaulement intérieur de l'élément de raccord 5 correspondant. De la sorte, la connexion entre les éléments de raccord 5 et le boîtier 20 est étanche.One of the connection elements 5 of this drying member is fixed to the drum 11 of a carousel of a drying device as shown in FIG. 2. The other connection element 5 is mounted movable in translation in screw -with respect to the fixed connection element 5, by means of a jack 23 itself secured to the drum 11. The jack 23 allows the connection elements 5 to be moved aside and brought together for the installation and removal of boxes 20 of different lengths. When the housing 20 is placed in the drying member, the jack is actuated so as to bring the connecting members 5 closer until the seals 8 are slightly crushed between the ends of the housing and the internal shoulder. of the corresponding connection element 5. In this way, the connection between the connecting elements 5 and the housing 20 is sealed.

Pour que la présence ou l'absence d'un boîtier 20 dans cet organe de séchage n'ait pas d'influence sensible sur la distribution d'air chaud au niveau des autres organes de séchage du dispositif de séchage à organes de séchage multiples, chaque organe de raccord 5 est connecté à la canalisation 13 correspondante par une tubulure 24 débouchant librement à l'intérieur de ce raccord et ayant un diamètre intérieur inférieur ou égal à celui d'un canal latéral 22 d'un boîtier 20 de dialyseur: la tubulure 24 provoque ainsi, sur le circuit d'air pulsé, une perte de charge devant laquelle la perte de charge engendrée par la présence d'un boîtier 20 dans l'organe de séchage est négligeable, c'est-à-dire qu'elle définit une fuite calibrée telle que l'air qui s'échappe de l'organe de séchage à vide a sensiblement le même débit que l'air qui s'échappe des canaux latéraux d'un boîtier 20 pris dans l'organe de séchage.So that the presence or absence of a housing 20 in this drying member does not have a significant influence on the distribution of hot air at the level of the other drying members of the drying device with multiple drying members, each connecting member 5 is connected to the corresponding pipe 13 by a tube 24 opening freely inside this fitting and having an internal diameter less than or equal to that of a lateral channel 22 of a dialyzer housing: the tubing 24 thus causes, on the forced air circuit, a pressure drop before which the pressure drop generated by the presence of a housing 20 in the drying member is negligible, that is to say that it defines a calibrated leak such that the air which escapes from the vacuum drying member has substantially the same flow rate as the air which escapes from the lateral channels of a housing 20 taken in the drying member .

La présente invention n'est pas limitée aux modes de réalisation qui viennent d'être décrits ; elle est au contraire susceptible de variantes qui apparaîtront à l'homme de métier.The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described; on the contrary, it is susceptible of variants which will appear to those skilled in the art.

En particulier, bien que les organes de séchage représentés sur les figures soient adaptés au séchage de faisceaux de fibres creuses sensiblement rectilignes, il va de soit qu'en changeant la disposition respective de leurs éléments de raccord, ils pourraient être utilisés pour le séchage de faisceaux ayant une autre configuration, de faisceaux en forme de U notamment. Le procédé est également applicable au séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau de fibres replié sur lui même, la gaine utilisée alors étant fermée à une extrémité et l'organe de séchage ne comprenant qu'un élément de raccord.In particular, although the drying members shown in the figures are suitable for drying bundles of substantially straight hollow fibers, it goes without saying that by changing the respective arrangement of their connecting elements, they could be used for drying beams having another configuration, in particular U-shaped beams. The method is also applicable to the drying of the ends of a bundle of fibers folded back on itself, the sheath used then being closed at one end and the drying member comprising only one connecting element.

Claims (11)

1) Procédé de séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau (1) de fibres creuses pour un appareil à membrane constituée de fibres creuses, caractérisé en ce qu'il consiste à placer le faisceau (1) dans une gaine (2 ; 20) présentant au moins une ouverture axiale (3 ; 21) et au moins une ouverture latérale (4 ; 22) à chacune de ses extrémités et à pulser de l'air simultanément par les ouvertures axiales (3 ; 21), les débits d'air à l'entrée de la gaine (2 ; 20) ainsi que la dimension des ouvertures (3 ; 21, 4 ; 22) étant choisis pour que l'air pénétrant à chaque extrémité de la gaine (2 ; 20) en ressorte intégralement par l'ouverture latérale (4 ; 22) correspondante. 1) Method for drying the ends of a bundle (1) of hollow fibers for an apparatus with a membrane consisting of hollow fibers, characterized in that it consists in placing the bundle (1) in a sheath (2; 20) having at least one axial opening (3; 21) and at least one lateral opening (4; 22) at each of its ends and simultaneously pulsating air through the axial openings (3; 21), the air flows at the inlet of the sheath (2; 20) as well as the dimension of the openings (3; 21, 4; 22) being chosen so that the air penetrating at each end of the sheath (2; 20) comes out entirely therefrom 'corresponding side opening (4; 22). 2) Procédé de séchage selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les débits d'air à l'entrée de la gaine (2 ; 20) sont sensiblement égaux, les ouvertures axiales (3 ; 21) de la gaine (2 ; 20) ayant sensiblement les mêmes dimensions, de même que les ouvertures latéral es (4 ; 22). 2) A drying method according to claim 1, characterized in that the air flow rates at the inlet of the sheath (2; 20) are substantially equal, the axial openings (3; 21) of the sheath (2; 20 ) having substantially the same dimensions, as are the lateral openings es (4; 22). 3) Procédé de séchage selon une des revendications 1 et 2, caractérisé en ce que l'air pulsé est chauffé. 3) A drying method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the pulsed air is heated. 4) Procédé de séchage selon une des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisé en ce qu'on utilise, comme gaine, un boîtier (20) de l'appareil à membrane destiné à contenir le faisceau (1) de fibres creuses. 4) A drying method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a casing (20) of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the bundle (1) of hollow fibers is used as the sheath. 5) Dispositif de séchage des extrémités d'un faisceau (1) de fibres creuses pour un appareil à membrane de fibres creuses, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte au moins un organe de séchage comprenant deux éléments de raccord (5) pour relier respectivement à une source d'air pulsé (7) les extrémités d'une gaine (2 ; 20) prévue pour contenir le faisceau (1), cette gaine (2 ; 20) comprenant, à chacune de ses extrémités, au moins une ouverture axiale (3 ; 21) pour l'introduction de l'air dans la gaine et au moins une ouverture latérale (4 ; 22) pour l'évacuation de l'air ayant passé sur l'extrémité des fibres hors de la gaine (2 ; 20). 5) Device for drying the ends of a bundle (1) of hollow fibers for a hollow fiber membrane device, characterized in that it comprises at least one drying member comprising two connecting elements (5) for connecting respectively to a source of forced air (7) the ends of a sheath (2; 20) intended to contain the bundle (1), this sheath (2; 20) comprising, at each of its ends, at least one axial opening (3; 21) for the introduction of air into the sheath and at least one lateral opening (4; 22) for the evacuation of the air having passed over the end of the fibers out of the sheath (2; 20). 6) Dispositif de séchage selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend des moyens de chauffage (9) pour chauffer l'air pulsé. 6) A drying device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises heating means (9) for heating the forced air. 7) Dispositif de séchage selon une des revendications 5 et 6, caractérisé en ce que les ouvertures axiales (3 ; 21) de la gaine (2 ; 20) ont sensiblement les mêmes dimensions, de même que les ouvertures latérales (4 ; 22), et en ce que les éléments de raccord (5) sont reliés à une même source d'air pulsé (7) par des canalisations (5; 13) ayant sensiblement même longueur et même diamètre. 7) A drying device according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the axial openings (3; 21) of the sheath (2; 20) have substantially the same dimensions, as well as the side openings (4; 22) , and in that the connecting elements (5) are connected to the same source of forced air (7) by pipes (5; 13) having substantially the same length and same diameter. 8) Dispositif de séchage selon une des revendications 5 à 7, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte une pluralité d'organes de séchage. 8) A drying device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of drying members. 9) Dispositif de séchage selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que chaque organe de séchage comprend des moyens de fuite calibrés (24) pour que les débits de l'air s'échappant respectivement d'un organe de séchage à vide et d'une gaine (2 ; 20) contenant un faisceau (1) disposée dans un organe de séchage soient sensiblement égaux. 9) A drying device according to claim 8, characterized in that each drying member comprises calibrated leakage means (24) so that the air flows escaping respectively from a vacuum drying member and a sheath (2; 20) containing a bundle (1) disposed in a drying member are substantially equal. 10) Dispositif de séchage selon des revendications 5 à 9, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte des moyens (23) pour régler la distance entre les éléments de raccord (5) d'un même organe de séchage. 10) A drying device according to claims 5 to 9, characterized in that it comprises means (23) for adjusting the distance between the connecting elements (5) of the same drying member. 11) Dispositif de séchage selon une des revendications 5 à 10, caractérisé en ce que la gaine est constituée par un boîtier (20) de l'appareil à membrane destiné à contenir le faisceau (1) de fibres creuses. 11) Drying device according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the sheath is constituted by a housing (20) of the membrane apparatus intended to contain the bundle (1) of hollow fibers.
EP91420244A 1990-07-13 1991-07-12 Process and apparatus for drying the ends of a bundle of hollow fibres for a device having a membrane consisting of hollow fibres Expired - Lifetime EP0466620B1 (en)

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AT91420244T ATE102337T1 (en) 1990-07-13 1991-07-12 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DRYING THE ENDS OF A HOLLOW FIBER BUNDLE FOR AN APPARATUS WITH A MEMBRANE MADE OF HOLLOW FIRES.

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FR9009199 1990-07-13
FR9009199A FR2664680B1 (en) 1990-07-13 1990-07-13 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DRYING THE HOLES OF A HOLLOW FIBER BEAM FOR A MEMBRANE APPARATUS MADE OF HOLLOW FIBERS.

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KR100257288B1 (en) * 1998-03-16 2000-08-01 김재열 Device of manufacturing sound-absorbing materials for car muffler
KR100669086B1 (en) * 2005-07-04 2007-01-16 삼우기업 주식회사 Sound-absorbing materials manufacturing apparatus for muffler of vehicle
JP5138572B2 (en) * 2008-12-25 2013-02-06 三菱レイヨン株式会社 Hollow fiber membrane manufacturing method and hollow fiber membrane drying apparatus
WO2012004865A1 (en) * 2010-07-07 2012-01-12 三菱レイヨン株式会社 Drying device and drying method for hollow fiber membranes
WO2018088064A1 (en) * 2016-11-08 2018-05-17 日本碍子株式会社 Method for drying separation membrane and method for producing separation membrane structure

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US4237596A (en) * 1978-10-04 1980-12-09 Standard Oil Company (Indiana) Method of converting membrane separation units
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GB892089A (en) * 1959-02-14 1962-03-21 Maschf Augsburg Nuernberg Ag Improvements in or relating to the drying of bristles
US4237596A (en) * 1978-10-04 1980-12-09 Standard Oil Company (Indiana) Method of converting membrane separation units
EP0044075A1 (en) * 1980-07-15 1982-01-20 Toyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha Fluid separation element
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WO1996021131A1 (en) * 1994-12-30 1996-07-11 Westinghouse Electric Corporation System and method for evaporating moisture from a gap defined between a repair sleeve and a surrounding heat transfer tube in a nuclear steam generator
WO2014128306A1 (en) * 2013-02-25 2014-08-28 Alpha Plan Gmbh Testing and drying device for testing the function of dialysers
CN109798759A (en) * 2019-01-02 2019-05-24 安徽安盛医疗科技有限公司 A kind of drying unit of haemodialyser

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2664680B1 (en) 1993-06-18
FR2664680A1 (en) 1992-01-17
DK0466620T3 (en) 1994-03-28
ATE102337T1 (en) 1994-03-15
ES2050044T3 (en) 1994-05-01
EP0466620B1 (en) 1994-03-02
US5182868A (en) 1993-02-02
JPH04256423A (en) 1992-09-11
DE69101284T2 (en) 1994-06-09
JP3288400B2 (en) 2002-06-04
DE69101284D1 (en) 1994-04-07

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